When a child has a cough, it can be very concerning to a parent. It’s difficult to listen to your child cough all day, and it may even keep them up at night. Most parents want to makethe coughing stop, but sometimes the best treatment may be to let the child cough—or it’s the cause that needs to be treated, not the cough itself.
Sean Locke / Stocksy United
Should I Give My Child Cough Medicine?
Over-the-counter (OTC) cough suppressantsare generally not effective for young children, and the FDA has recommended that children under age 2 should not get any cough or cold medications because they may also have bad side effects.
Prescription cough suppressantscan be more dangerous for young children. If a child is coughing so frequently and so hard that they are unable to sleep, there is likely more going on than a cold, and the underlying cause needs to be treated. Suppressing the cough with a prescription cough medication could potentially make things worse.
These medications are also dangerous for children because they contain narcotics. Hydrocodone, or codeine, is a narcotic that can slow down a child’s respiratory rate. It can depress the respiratory system so much that the child stops breathing.
When to Be Concerned About a Cough
Most coughs in children are nothing to be worried about, but there are some instanceswhen you should be concernedand call your healthcare provider.
These include:
Call 911 if your child:
What You Should Do for Your Child’s Cough
If your child has an occasional cough that is not interfering with their sleep, it is best to just let them cough. That’s because a cough is the body’s way of expelling things from the lungs that shouldn’t be there.
If your child’s cough is just occasional, these tips may help.
If you have a question about your child’s symptoms or their cough, you should contact their healthcare provider and get advice about what to do. This information is not a substitute for the advice of a doctor.
Zarbee’s Naturals Cough and Cold Remedies
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Should you give kids medicine for coughs and colds?American Academy of Pediatrics.Coughs and colds: medicines or home remedies?Ntim GM.Common cold.Pediatric Care Online.Additional Reading”Your Child’s Cough.”KidsHealth Oct 05. Nemours Foundation.”FDA Issues Alert on Tussionex, a Long-Acting Prescription Cough Medicine Containing Hydrocodone.” FDA News Press Release 11 Mar 08. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”Questions and Answers About FDA’s Enforcement Action Regarding Unapproved Hydrocodone Drug Products.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration 01 Oct 07.
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Should you give kids medicine for coughs and colds?American Academy of Pediatrics.Coughs and colds: medicines or home remedies?Ntim GM.Common cold.Pediatric Care Online.Additional Reading”Your Child’s Cough.”KidsHealth Oct 05. Nemours Foundation.”FDA Issues Alert on Tussionex, a Long-Acting Prescription Cough Medicine Containing Hydrocodone.” FDA News Press Release 11 Mar 08. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”Questions and Answers About FDA’s Enforcement Action Regarding Unapproved Hydrocodone Drug Products.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration 01 Oct 07.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Should you give kids medicine for coughs and colds?American Academy of Pediatrics.Coughs and colds: medicines or home remedies?Ntim GM.Common cold.Pediatric Care Online.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Should you give kids medicine for coughs and colds?
American Academy of Pediatrics.Coughs and colds: medicines or home remedies?
Ntim GM.Common cold.Pediatric Care Online.
”Your Child’s Cough.”KidsHealth Oct 05. Nemours Foundation.”FDA Issues Alert on Tussionex, a Long-Acting Prescription Cough Medicine Containing Hydrocodone.” FDA News Press Release 11 Mar 08. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”Questions and Answers About FDA’s Enforcement Action Regarding Unapproved Hydrocodone Drug Products.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration 01 Oct 07.
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